PANEL 4

Church of San Michele Arcangelo

The structure of the Church dates back to around 1000 and was founded by the will of the Counts Alberti, a powerful aristocratic family that controlled the Castle of Castiglioni in this area (whose location remains uncertain today). The Church originated as a Canonica, an ecclesiastical institution that developed as part of a specific strategy to consolidate secular administrative control of the territory. Canonicas, managed by a college of clerics leading a life similar to that of a monastic community, were usually established in the most populated and well-defended centers, including castles, or near important road junctions.

The Church is of Romanesque origin and consists of a rectangular hall covered by a roof and equipped with a straight apse; its north-south orientation is noteworthy. Over the centuries, the building has undergone numerous renovations. The oldest one dates back to 1220, as indicated by a Latin inscription, unfortunately, now very damaged, located near the entrance portal on the left.

A second restoration of the roof and the construction of the rear tower date back to the 14th century. The construction date of the bell tower is unknown; a graffiti only recalls that it was “lowered” in the early 19th century following damage caused by an earthquake in 1803. In the 20th century, the Church underwent further restoration.

Remaining under the control of the Alberti family for a long time, the Church passed in the early 16th century under the patronage of the Frescobaldi, likely due to the strong influence this family had acquired in the area, where they controlled extensive land holdings. In 1986, the Church was suppressed and annexed to the Church of San Lorenzo in Montegufoni. Today, it is part of a private property.